Shrine



E. ECKERT Feb. 24, 1931.

SHRINE' 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19. 1928 E 3 w Nk c .VE m M m, W 2m I 2 6 M 4% 1m 2 v E. ECKERT Feb. 24, 1931.

SHRINE Filed Nov. 19. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jy l' qd 7 INVENTOR.

Edi) I Bake/VT; I

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED sraras EDNA sexes/r, or NEWARK, NEW J RSEYSHRINE Application filed'November 19, 1928. Serial No. 320,525.

This invention relates generally to religious objects and has particularrelation to a minature shrine or altar.

An object of the invention is to provide a 7, miniature shrine or altarfor use in devotion-' al exercises which is artistic and dignified inappearance. A further object is to provide a miniature shrine or altarhaving illuminating features simulating an illuminated altar in or naveof a church or cathedral. A further object is to provide a shrine inwhich the devotional object contained, such as a crucifix or statuette,is clearly defined in relief against a suitably attractive and artisticbackground. A further object is to provide, in a shrine or altar, ahighly ornamental background for the devotional object and whichbackground is capable, either with natural or artificial illumination,to clearly portray the devotional object. A further obj ect is toprovide a minature shrine or altar for use in homes, class-rooms or thelike.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and inpart indicated from the following analysis of the invention,

in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating anembodiment of my idea.

In these drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the minature shrine oraltar in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section along line 33 of Fig. 2; 7

Fig. 4 is a modified form of the shrine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the shrine illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawin s, there is illustrated a cabinet or casinggenerally designated at 10 and comprising a base portion 11, an eavedroof 12, and a front wall 13 extending therebetween, the wall beingprovided with a cut-out portion or window opening l which is of suchshape to simulate a church or cathedral window. A panel of stained glass15 is inserted rearwardly of the wall 13 and maintained in fixedrelation thereon as by a frame or beading 16 secured to the rear of thewall 13. .As indicated in Fig. 1, the glass is suitably ornamented inthe style typical of church windows, and in such color or colors asto'harmonize artistically 1 with the color or finish of the cabinet.

On the front portion of the cabinet are arranged three naves which housethe devotional objects, of which the central nave may contain a crucifix18, the right hand nave containing a statue 19 of the Virgin, and thethird shrinea statue of Saint Joseph, designated at 20. By reference toFig. 3, the central nave is separated from the side naves by partitionmembers 21, and is provided with an eaved roof 22, said parts extendingforwardly a greater distance than the caved roofs 23 and end walls 24 ofthe side naves. The devotional objects which are mounted forwardly ofthe wall 13 are arranged substantially against the rear Wall of thenaves and are supportedpn the upper portion of the base 11. Each nave isprovided with the longitudinally disposed molding pieces 19a, the effectbeing that the devotional objects, such as the crucifix and statutes,have the appearance of being enclosed on their sides and top so as to beviewable in clear relief from the front.

The base portion of the shrine is chambered or recessed as at 26, thesaid chamber being provided with an inclined forwardwall 27 covered witha reflecting surface, as a reflector 28. An opening 32 forwardly of eachdevotional object is arranged in the upper part of the base 11 andcommunicates with the chamber 26. A source of illumination, such as alight 30, is connected by suitable wiring 31 withthe usual lightcircuit. Light rays emanating from the lamp 30 are reflected by thereflector 28 thru theopenings .32 of the base portion 11 andon to theobjects contained within the naves.

Spaced rearwardly of wall 13 is a rear wall 34 of the cabinetlO which issecured to the base 11 in any suitable fashion, and having at its topportion a forwardly extending part fitting with the eaved roof 12. Thereis thus formed a space between the walls 13 and 34 in communication withthe chamber 26 of the base, and light rays emanating from the lamp 30illuminate the stained glass panel 15. It will be apparent that the lamp30 is at all times hidden from view, yet lights up the devotionalobjects by an arrangementof indirect lighting, and similarlyilluminates'the glass whereby the ornamentation thereof is renderedviewable from the front of the shrine.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is illustrated a modified form of. shrinewhich utilizes the same illuminating features previously described. Astatue 40 is set on a base 41 and arranged in front of the stained glasswindows 43 disposed in the wall 44. Light rays from the lamp aredirected on to the statue from the reflector 45 and thru the opening 46in the upper portion of the shrine base. Similarly, the light raysilluminate the windows 43.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, a drawer 47 in the base portion of the cabinetand opening to the front thereof may be provided and is adapted tocontain religious articles such as rosary beads or the like.

The shrine, as above described, may be set up in the home or in aclass-room, for instance, and may be illuminated by connection with theordinary house lighting circuit. There is thus provided a minatureshrine or altar which is artistic and dignified, and

which simulates the lighting effects found in churches and cathedrals.

It will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achievedand O'tlll ilClVtllltageous results attained, As many changes could bemade in carrying out the above invention, without departing from thescope of the invention, it is intended, that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a cabinetcomprising a base, vertical side walls and a rear wall extendingupwardly therefrom and a roof, a devotional object mounted on the baseso as tobe enclosed in the cabinet, and a source of illumination withinthe base and obscured from direct view thereby, said source beingoperative to direct light rays on. to the object.

2. In a device of the character described. in combination, a cabinethaving front and rear walls and a base, a devotional object mountedforwardly of the front wall on the base, the front wall having a windowopen ing, an ornamental glass panel disposed on said front wall acrossthe opening and forming a background for said object, and a neans ofillumination obscured from view in the base and disposed below theobject rearwardly of the glass panel, and operative to direct light raysonto the panel.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a cabinetcomprising front and rear walls and a base, a devotional ol jectmountedforwardly of the front wall on the base, the front wall having a windowopening, ornamental glass panel disposed on the front wall across theopening and forming a background for said object, the base beingprovided with a chamber extending belowthe object,-and a source ofillumination enclosed in said chamber and obscured from direct viewtherein and operative'to direct light rays on to the panel.

4. In a device of the character described. in combination, a cabinethaving front and rear walls, the front wall having a window opening, anornamental glass panel disposed across said opening, a base, adevotional ob ject mounted on the base and forwardly of the front wall,and a source of illumination enclosed in the base, and means inclusiveof said source to indirectly illuminate the object and to illuminate theglass panel.

5,. In a device of the character described, in combination, a cabinethaving front and rear walls and a base, the front wallhaving a windowopening, a glass panel disposed across said opening, a devotional objectmounted on the base and forwa dly of the front wall, the base beingprovided with a chamber having an openi forwardly of the object, and asource of i ll'ui-i-iinationenclosed in the base and arranged todirectlight rays forwardly on to the object and to illuminate the glass panel.V

In a device of the character described. incombination, a cabinet havingfront and rear walls and a base, the front wall having a window opening,a glass panel disposed across said opening, a devotional object mountedon the base and forwardly of the front wall, a chamber disposedin thebase, the base having an opening forwardly of the object andcommunicating with the chamber, a source of illumination enclosed in thechamber and adapted to illuminate the glass panel, and means in thechamber adapted to direct the light rays from said source ofillumination thru the opening: on to the object.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a'cabinethaving front-and rear walls and abase,the front wall having a windowopening, a glass panel disposed across'said opening, a plurality ofnaves. ar-

rangedon the base and forwardly of the front wall, a devotional objectarranged in each nave, a chamber disposed in the base, the base havingan opening forwardly of each object and communicating With the chamber,a source of illumination enclosed in the chamber and adapted toilluminate the glass panel, and means in the chamber adapted to directthe light rays from said source of illumination thru the openings on tothe objects.

Signed at Newark, New Jersey, this 8th day of November, 1928.

EDNA ECKERT.

